ZAC supplies much-needed potable water to local communities

COMMUNITIES ENJOY CLEAN POTABLE WATER

ZAC provides surrounding communities with potable water which is crucial to their health. In 2018, the mine provided a total of 25 million litres of clean drinking water to the communities through a series of pipes, boreholes and taps.

During the current year, so far, a total of 927 700 litres have been provided to the local communities. This water is provided through the licenced volume of 519 000 cubic meters of water allocated to the mine.

ZAC Environmental Officer Msawenkosi Buthelezi explains that ZAC is limited to this amount as the mine is not authorised to go beyond this allocation.

The Nqolothi community which resides near the mine’s railway siding is supplied water by a borehole that is connected to a central tap in the community. Msawenkosi points out that a major challenge that the mine is faced with is that, this tap has in the past been vandalised which negatively affects the flow measuring equipment installed on it.

“There are plans to resuscitate the Masokaneni water supply scheme. This will include drilling further boreholes, equipping them and refurbishing of the Reverse Osmosis plant on site. The re-establishment of the scheme is dependent on the Zululand District Municipality giving consent to the scheme and giving sign off on the water use licence (WUL) application in order to allow ZAC to supply the community through the scheme,” notes Msawenkosi.

Engagements are ongoing with the Zululand District Municipality in conjunction with the Nongoma Local Municipality and ZAC is hopeful of a positive outcome on these discussions.

I-ZAC ihlinzeka umphakathi ngamanzi ahlanzekile

UMPHAKATHI UTHAKAZELELA AMANZI AHLANZEKILE

I-ZAC ihlinzeka imiphakathi eyakhelene nayo ngamanzi ahlanzekile nokuyinto emqoka empilweni yezakhamuzi zakulezi zindawo. Nyakenye le mayini yahlinzeka imiphakathi ngamalitha ayizigidi eziwu-25 ngamanzi ahlanzekile okuphuza isebenzisa amapayipi, iziphehli zamanzi.

Kulo nyaka ophezulu, asewu-927 700 amalitha amanzi osekuhlinzekwe ngawo imiphakathi. Loku i-ZAC ikwenza isebenzisa imvume yayo yamanzi eyinikeza amanzi awu-519 000 cubic meters.

Obhekele ezemvelo e-ZAC, uMsawenkosi Buthelezi, uthe njengemayini bagunyazwe ukuba nalesi sikali samanzi, abakwazi ukweqa kusona.

Umphakathi waseNqolothi owakhe eduze kukajantshi wemayini uphakelwa amanzi ngesiphehli esixhunywe kumpompi omkhulu emphakathini. UButhelezi uthe inselelo ababhekene nayo wukuthi lo mpompi usuke wacekelwa phansi nokuphazamisa ukusebenza komshini wokukala ofakwe.

“Kunezinhlelo zokuvuselela uhlelo lokuphakela amanzi olubizwa ngeMasokaneni. Loku kuzosho ukufaka ezinye iziphehli zamanzi kanjalo nokulungisa i-Reverse Osmosis plant. Ukuvuselelwa kwalolu hlelo kuncike eMkhandlwini iZululand okumele usigunyaze ngokuphasisa isicelo sethu semvume yokusebenzisa amanzi nokuzovumela i-ZAC ukuthi ihlinzeke umphakathi ngalolu hlelo,” kusho uButhelezi.

Kunezingxoxo noMasipala i-Zululand ngokubambisana noMasipala wakwaNongoma kanti i-ZAC inethemba lokuthi lezi zingxoxo zizothela izithelo ezinhle.